EmiratesGBC Congress to focus on human wellbeing

Carbon-neutral event to underline commitment to sustainable best practices

Saeed Al Abbar

EmiratesGBC has announced that its sixth annual EmiratesGBC Congress will be held under the theme of ‘Urban Energy: Powering Smart, Happy & efficient Cities’. The carbon-neutral event will be held on October 17 and 18 and will promote human wellbeing in urban cities.

The event will host experts in the field of sustainability from around the world and will feature a keynote presentation on wellbeing from John Alker, campaign and policy director, Steering Committee Better Places for People, UK Green Building Council; World Green Building Council.

Alker will share observations made from an all new ‘Wellbeing Lab’, which was launched by the UKGBC in September 2016. EmiratesGBC says that the insights shared by Alker will be invaluable in creating built environments in the region with the wellbeing of its occupants as the prime consideration.

On the first day of the event, the Congress will host panel discussions and keynote speeches centred on three sub-themes: powering efficient cities, powering smart cities and powering happy cities. Each session will be addressed by experts in the field. The second day will be dedicated to a field visit to City Center Me’aisem where a workshop and a Green Building Tour of the LEED Platinum Core and Shell Property will take place.

Saeed Al Abbar, chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: “The response to the sixth Annual EmiratesGBC Congress has been exceptional. The event serves as an annual window into the best practices in developing and managing sustainable built environments, and will provide further impetus in our concerted efforts to achieve the green vision of the UAE and the wider region. We have expert professionals and industry thought leaders who will share their real-world experiences that can help the construction industry to achieve transformational milestones in their commitment to ensuring sustainable built environments.”

Like its predecessors, the sixth annual EmiratesGBC Congress will be carbon-neutral; all the emissions from power consumption, heat energy and refrigeration, among other infrastructure; the journeys of participants to the event; catering and lodging for the participants, and event-specific materials and waste is being calculated, and will be offset against a clean energy project.

Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, the Congress has secured support from a variety of industry players.